Judge — October 11, 1919 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine, October 11, 1919 - "Another Labor-Saving Device" This satirical cartoon depicts a formal dinner scene with well-dressed diners seated around a table. The caption reads: "Table Maid—Anybody that wants more sparrow grass, hold up their hands." The joke targets post-WWI food scarcity and rationing. "Sparrow grass" is period slang for asparagus—a cheap vegetable. The humor lies in depicting wealthy socialites at an elegant dinner being served such humble fare, with the maid conducting the service like a school classroom rather than fine dining. The cartoon likely satirizes either food shortages/inflation from 1919, or the pretensions of the wealthy eating poorly during austere times. The title "Labor-Saving Device" suggests the maid's efficient mass-service approach mocks formal service traditions.